Moment's Unexpected
by kontni
Summary: A series of AU prompts about life's unexpected moments.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Moment's Unexpected is going to be a collection of MerDer one-shots based on a list of prompts that I have as well as any prompts people submit to me.

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**Prompt: **Person A suspects the neighbors are serial killers. Person B attempts to placate them.

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**Killer Next Door**

All it took was a mere thudding of sounds and a hushed scream. All it took was a few shots of tequila and a glass of red wine. All it took was a slightly drunk Meredith to be convinced something terrible was happening in the room adjacent to hers.

Running haphazardly across the room, Meredith flung herself at the hotel bed. Her hands groped the covers, attempting to find the one object that she desperately needed. When she finally found it she began to dance around, wiggling her hips and moving to a tune that was only inside her head before she froze as she realized the seriousness of the situation.

Hitting the call button, followed by a click of the one, she pressed her ear against her cell phone. She twirled her hair absentmindedly and tapped her foot rather impatiently. She hit the end button, some logical part of her knowing that Derek wouldn't answer. He would still be giving his charming speech at the conference they had flown to in Chicago.

Meredith decided to try her luck and hit the second number on her speed dial. The phone rang twice before a voice at the other end answered.

"Hey Mer."

"Yeah, yeah hi. Look, I think there is a murderer in the room next door," Meredith informed the listener, her voice completely serious.

"What?" the voice said with confusion.

"There is someone next door being killed by a murderer!" Meredith repeated, though she didn't realize how silly her sentence sounded.

"How drunk are you?" Cristina asked.

"I'm not drunk!" Meredith replied hastily.

Cristina only replied with an extended silence. It was a technique she had perfected which was usually completed with a stern look. Meredith could only imagine her face right now.

"Okay, fine, fine. I had a few drinks. But I swear there is someone being murdered in the next room. What if they co-"

"Seriously, Mer?"

"I'm not joking, Cristina. Something seriously bad is happening."

"Besides the usual crappy, miserable life you normally live?" Cristina asked, her voice only betraying a portion of sarcasm. "I think this is a figment of your imagination from being cooped up in a hotel all day without McDreamy."

"This is not funny," Meredith inserted.

She could faintly hear Cristina laughing on the line and suddenly it became infectious. Meredith let a peal of laughter slip from her lips before she had to nearly shake her entire body to resume her previous serious tone.

"Cristina, you're my person. That means if someone is being murdered in the room next to mine you're supposed to help me!"

"I said I would call you to help me drag a body across a room. But this is totally out of my reach."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously," Cristina replied. "Look, I'm on the thirtieth hour of my thirty-six hour shift. I do not have the emotional capacity for this."

"But Cris-"

"Bye Meredith," Cristina said in a rush.

Suddenly, Meredith was talking to air. She let out a loud puff of carbon dioxide, folding her arms across her chest. She slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, the white covers in disarray.

"So much for being my person," she said bitterly, suddenly feeling the beginning of the effects of the tequila she had drank. She scooted herself farther up the bed, pulling the covers with her as she leaned against the headboard. Meredith let her eyes wander back and forth, her eyelids slowly closing, only to be jerked awake by the random thuds she heard from the room adjacent to hers. As quiet was perturbed by noise, so were her closed eyes as they rapidly opened from her stupor.

Meredith continued to doze off, her eyes finally remaining closed for more than a mere thirty seconds. That was until a click and a bang jolted her upright, her heart nearly jumped from her chest. Meredith let out a terrified shriek as she dumped herself off the bed. She peeked over the tuft of white covers as her eyes peered at the darkly dressed figure standing before her.

_I'm going to die. _

_I'm going to die in a stupid hotel that I knew was evil and full of murderers. _

_I told Cristina and she didn't believe me._

_I'm not even supposed to die like this. I'm supposed to die of Alzheimer's._

Thoughts flooded into Meredith's head as she hid behind the bed. She lowered herself to the ground, laying on her stomach and pulling her hands up to cover her head. She could hear footsteps walking against the patterned floor. She held her breath as she laid still as possible, hoping that somehow the figure wouldn't see her or would miss a major artery if he shot her.

"Meredith?" a familiar voice asked as they stopped walking, standing directly in front of her figure. "What are you doing?"

Meredith slowly lifted her head, removing her hands from it to use her hands to push herself up into a sitting position. She ran her palms over her face, rubbing her tired eyes relentlessly. "You're going to think I'm crazy and drunk and I can't handle that right now."

Derek squatted down in front of her, letting himself relax into a sitting position. He reached his arms out, his hands grabbing her waist as he pulled her forward towards him. He wrapped his arms around her, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Why don't you tell me what's going on."

Meredith looked up at him, her eyes finding his baby blues, trying to find the compassion that laced his voice. She took a deep steadying breath, wrapping her arms around her torso. Her eyes dropped to the ground as she began to speak.

"I heard something in the room next door. At first I thought it was nothing but then, to ease some stress, I took tequila shots, which I ordered from room service. It actually wasn't too bad except for the fact that it made me paranoid and I'm pretty sure I heard someone get murdered in the next room. I called you but you must have been giving your charming speech and so I called Cristina which only made me feel like an idiot. I mean, where's your person when you need them?"

Meredith took a deep breath after she had spoke using only one. She looked up at Derek, scowling at the entertained smile that lined his face. "Don't look so smug."

"Hey, I'm not smug. I'm just admiring how worked up you are. It's kind of cute, " he informed her.

Meredith gave him an annoyed look, hoping to convey her message via looks than saying it aloud. Derek only replied by staring at her lips, which were beginning to jut out in a pout.

"Eyes up here," Meredith told him.

"I know," he murmured before placing a gentle kiss on her lips. "I'm not lost." Derek kissed her again, his hands sliding up from her waist to cup her face. "In fact, I've been here before," he added between kisses. "And I like it here."

Meredith seemed to melt into him, running her hands through his hair as their lips continued the familiar dance. She could feel his teeth grazing her bottom lip, gently tugging on it. She parted her lips, inviting him in further. Her hands moved quickly and with purpose. She slipped them underneath his shirt, delicately roving her fingers over every plane of his torso. It was enough to elicit a sigh from Derek.

Faintly, Meredith could hear the same thud as before. She opened her eyes just as Derek's lips trailed along her jaw and down her neck.

"Did you hear that?" Meredith asked.

Derek continued to kiss her neck, occasionally nipping a small area. He murmured a faint 'mmm.'

"Derek..." Meredith tried again, unfurling her hands from under his shirt to push softly against his chest. When the thud came again, Meredith jerked away from him as she heard a muffled scream. As she made eye contact with Derek, she mouthed the word 'murderer.' Derek shook his head, a smile finding its way to his face.

"If you don't believe me, I'm not kissing you anymore," she added as incentive.

The pout that laced Derek's face was nearly tangible. "What do you want me to do? Go check and make sure there isn't a woman being cut into bits?"

Meredith seemed to contemplate this voluntary idea before nodding to him. "Actually, that would be really nice. That would put my head to ease… or prove that I was right. In which case, we would be promptly leaving… or help the person so long as the attacker was gone." Meredith continued to babble on, her mind roaming somewhere seemingly far away.

"You actually want me to go and check, don't you?"

"Well, it couldn't hurt, Derek."

With a sigh, Derek unfurled himself from Meredith and stood up. Running his hand through his hair, he slowly walked to the hotel door, stopping with his hand on the door handle to look over his shoulder at Meredith.

Meredith used her hand to make a shooing motion. With a nod she told him to "go on."

Derek trudged out of their room, disappearing from Meredith's sight. She slowly stood up, creeping through the room. She grabbed a pillow to use as protection as she stood with her ear pressed against the door. She stood there for what seemed like an hour but must have been only a few minutes. Through the door she could hear a slightly muffled scream which she knew instantly came from Derek.

"Derek!" Meredith screamed, pounding against the door, her hand slipping from the door handle several times before she was able to successfully open the door.

Meredith's eyes darted to the right to see Derek standing pristinely in his suit, his baby blues twinkling and a smile filling his face.

"Derek!" Meredith shouted which was followed by a roll of her eyes. She could hear his laugh echoing in her ears before she threw the pillow at his smug face.

"Hey!" He said, throwing his arms up too late to be anywhere close to blocking it. Derek followed Meredith back into the room as she stormed away from him. "Meredith, c'mon."

Meredith whirled around, stopping in her tracks. "That was not funny."

An amused smile filled Derek's face as he stood there. "It was a little funny."

"No, it wasn't. I thought someone was dying and then you screamed and I thought-"

"Meredith, I'm fine and they are fine." Derek took a few steps forward, holding his hands up in front of him in caution. "In fact, they were more than fine." He took a few more steps until he was standing directly in front of her, sliding his hands around her waist. He dropped his lips to her ear, whispering a few words.

Meredith nodded her head almost imperceptibly. "Oh," she said.

"Exactly," Derek replied, kissing her forehead. "And now you," he paused, kissing her cheek. "Owe," he continued, kissing her jaw "Me," he finished, kissing her neck.

As Derek buried his head in her neck, Meredith managed to whisper an "I think you're the one that owes me" before she was caught in silence.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **I will be taking requests if any of you would like to submit your own. Thank you so much for the reviews! I love hearing what you have to say.

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**Prompt: **Choosing to repaint the apartment and goes to the hardware store together to pick out swatches. (I used the original idea for this and sort of molded it into my own as the chapter progressed.)

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**Switching** **Swatches**

Meredith stood resolutely with her hands on her hips. Her head was tilted slightly to the left, her eyes squinting in concentration. Occasionally her eyes would rove over a different spot in their quest to identify and conquer. Meanwhile, Zola played at her feet, prancing a puppy over her shoes as she made little barking sounds. However, Meredith's concentration didn't appear to be perturbed by the little girl.

Her concentration was only broken as Derek walked up next to her, looking to the left to as he stared at Meredith's posture. Despite knowing that he was there, Meredith's eyes remained locked on the wall before her, desperately searching.

"Meredith? What are you doing?" Derek asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"It isn't quite right," she replied more to herself than to Derek.

"What isn't?"

Meredith looked over at him, giving him the most annoyed look she could muster.

"Originally, I didn't care but Zola started babbling about it and now it's all I see." Meredith bent down to pick Zola up, grabbing the small puppy that she managed to drop. "Isn't that right, Zozo?"

Zola nodded her head slowly though Derek could tell that she hadn't comprehended any of their exchanges.

"Meredith, what are you talking about?"

Meredith heaved a sigh before she began to explain. "Zola and I were playing with her dog and she started saying 'too brown,'" Meredith mimicked. "Then she began pointing at the wall and saying it again."

"So, you're saying our daughter doesn't like the color of our walls..." Derek drug on, trying to make sense of the sentence he had just said.

"Not all of them. Just... that one," Meredith informed him, waving one hand at the wall she has been previously staring at.

"I…?" Derek stuttered, his mouth gaping in the slightest.

Meredith trained her eyes on his face, giving him a look of utter seriousness.

"I thought you didn't care about the design of the house?"

"I don't, " Meredith said hastily. "At least not as much as you. But Zola makes a very good point."

"She's a toddler, Meredith. She likes having princess tea parties and playing with her dolls."

"Yes, but she is _our_ daughter," Meredith retorted.

"Of course she's our daughter. What does that have to do with anything?"

"We designed our dream house which means that she, by default, knows what should go in the dream house."

Derek's reply was simply a stare. It was as if his brain was trying to wrap itself around what Meredith was saying. Yet, for some reason, he couldn't conjure up a hypothesis.

Meredith came to an entirely different conclusion. "Okay, fine. _You_ designed our dream house but this is it. This is my contribution. The wall needs to be gray."

Derek seemed baffled by her response. "You want our beige wall to be… gray?"

Meredith shrugged her shoulders, rocking her body back and forth as Zola started to squirm in her arms. "If I have to help with the house, it might as well have to do with my name."

Derek let out a laugh, shaking his head as he did so. He wrapped his left arm around Meredith's waist, giving the top of Zola's head a kiss. "Okay, so we'll repaint the wall."

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In the upcomg week, Derek had managed to pick out enough gray swatches to fill their entire island with different colors. After each shift, Derek would make Meredith narrow the shades until they were left with only one. He had somehow convinced her to take a few days off, halting her research and rearranging a few surgeries, to help him paint the wall.

Standing clad in one of Derek's loosely fitted white t-shirts, Meredith stared at the wall that would soon resemble her namesake. She had a roller in her hand, switching her concentration to stare at it as if she had never come across such an object.

"Alright," Derek said loudly with a clap of his hands. "Are you ready to paint?"

Meredith rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Derek, this isn't what I had in mind for a do-it-yourself project."

"You wanted the room gray and so you are going to make it gray."

"Derek..."

"This is your only chance to say that you helped with the house."

Derek squatted down, grabbing the pre-shaken paint bucket and pouring it into a paint tray. He grabbed a roller for himself and doused it in the paint. He stood up, giving Meredith a look, raising one eyebrow as if to emphasize his point.

"It will be fun."

"Derek, painting a wall isn't fun."

Derek pursed his lips, his baby blues roving the room for some semblance of inspiration. "We could… do that thing you and Cristina do."

"Lay in our bed and talk about our lack of feelings?"

Derek let out a small laugh, shaking his head in denial. He set the roller in the paint tray and strolled over to their stereo system. "Thirty second dance party!" he called out, before turning music on at a raised volume. Derek strolled back over to her, grabbing the paint roller in one hand and Meredith's hand in the other.

"Derek, I don't think this is a goo-"

"Just go with it!" he shouted over the music. He began to bob his head as he rolled the wall.

"Seriously?!" Meredith shouted at him.

Derek nodded as he began to get into the music, letting his body sway back and forth. Meredith dipped her own roller in paint, timidly painting a streak on the wall. Derek bumped her hip with his own, laughing in the process. He continued to do so until Meredith gave in, sashaying her hips.

Derek bent down, rolling in his roller in paint to refill it. As Meredith danced closer to him, she set her roller on his back, rolling up and down until his shirt was covered in paint.

He stood up slowly, his mouth gaping open.

Meredith shrugged her shoulder, feigning innocence and squeaking out an "Oops."

Derek only shook his head in return and moved closer to her. He grabbed smaller paintbrush from the paint tray as he stepped closer. Meredith backed up as he stepped forward. She couldn't help but laugh as she continued to retreat backwards. "Derek…"

"It's only fair…" He made a dash for Meredith, flinging one arm around her waist, tugging her as tight to him as he could.

Meredith laughed hysterically, pulling against the arm that was restraining her. "Derek!"

Derek smiled at her, bringing his paintbrush up to her face and running it against her cheek. "Now you're really a Grey," He whispered before pushing away from her and retreating to await another attack.

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Slowly and surely they finished painting the wall. In between paint attacks, they would dance and roll the wall, attempting to let off as much frustration as they needed.

There was a quick knock at the door before it inched open. Callie walked in with Zola in her arms and an expressive smile on her face.

"Zola was super great today, except she didn't eat all of her mac-n-cheese. I might have been because she had a snack so it should be nothing to wor-"

As Callie looked up from ZolasZola's face she began to laugh. "What happened to you two?"

Meredith looked down at her paint covered shirt and arms. A guilty look crossed her face as she looked at Derek.

Derek interceded saying "We may have had a slight paint mishap."

Callie nodded her head in an exaggerated slow motion. "Uh huh," she drew out, her eyes roving over their paint covered bodies. "Well, I will leave _you_ three to it." Callie strolled over to Meredith handing Zola to her. "Bye Zola, " she said in her nominated baby voice. Callie turned away from them, throwing a wave and calling out, "Don't forget you have Sofia tomorrow!"

Derek called out a 'bye' before he crossed the living room to pick up one of Zola's favorite dog stuffed animal's. He moved back to Meredith and Zola, handing her the puppy. Zola grabbed it despite her face turning in displeasure.

"Zozo, what's wrong?" Meredith questioned, looking at Derek in confusion.

"Too brown," she replied, holding up the puppy. "Gray one," she said, pointing to a chest of toys near the wall.

Derek strolled over to the chest, rifling through theittil he found a plush, gray husky. He held it up in question.

Zola let out a peal of laughter. "Gray one is my favorite!"

Derek returned to the pair of girls. He handed Zola the new puppy and gaped at Meredith.

"Did we just paint a wall because our daughter wanted a different stuffed animal?"

Meredith nodded sheeply.

"Well..." Derek began. "At least it looks nice."

And with that, they couldn't help but fall into laughter.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Thank you so much for the reviews everyone! I'm sorry that it has taken me so long to add another chapter to this story. I have been very busy between school, work and a lack of muse. If anyone would like to suggest any prompts you can always send me a message or send one in on my tumblr which can be found on my profile.  
I had also planned to post a very different prompt but in light of recent Grey's Anatomy events, I thought I'd try to lighten the mood. As always, enjoy!

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**Prompt:** Person A volunteers Person B to investigate the strange noises coming from the closet.

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**Closet Creatures**

Meredith's lithe frame sat bolt upright in the bed, throwing the covers off her torso and down her legs. Her eyes darted back and forth in the darkness, searching, or at least attempting to search, for the sudden noise she had heard.

As her eyes adjusted to the abyss-like darkness, she saw nothing. The rattling that she had woken up to had ceased to sound again. She stared into their closet before peering over to the bathroom door. She saw…

Nothing. She saw absolutely nothing.

Meredith pursed her lips, her eyes taking one last sweep of the room before she laid back down in the bed. She stared up at the ceiling, controlling her breathing to placate her heart from its previous uproar.

She turned on her head to the side, staring at Derek's half-covered sleeping face. His arm was thrown over his currently hidden baby blues. Seeing that the rattling noise hadn't perturbed his sleep comforted her. It aided in convincing her that it was all in her head, most likely the first step in her path to crazy town.

Meredith let her eyes droop close as she adjusted her body position to try and relax. However, her attempts were futile.

It repeated the same way it had before. At first it was a series of rattles followed by something that sounded as if claws were being dragged against a wall.

Meredith turned her head to Derek who still slept soundly despite the obvious noises coming from somewhere in their closet.

She pulled the covers up farther, hiding the bottom half of her face in the duvet before slowly reaching her hand closer to Derek.

As her hand lined into cue, she whacked his stomach.

"Derek…." she whispered, her eyes squinting to see if he was waking.

Her face fell to a pout when she realized he was still soundlessly sleeping. She placed her hand once more, whacking him several times in the stomach and on the chest.

"Derek!" She whispered louder, rolling on her side to face. "Wake up!"

With a groan, he uncovered his eyes, his baby blues finding her green eyes.

"What?" Derek whispered back to her, annoyance lacing his tired voice.

"Shh! Listen!" Meredith whispered, although it was intended as a shout.

The pair of them laid there in the darkness, both of them listening intently as Meredith waited to prove to prove to Derek the source of the sound. Their eyes drifted upwards to the ceiling, as if focusing on the darkness would somehow help them hear better.

As seconds turned into minutes, Derek looked back at Meredith.

"Meredith, I don't hear anyth-"

Meredith cut him off with a whack of her hand against his arm.

"Shh! It will happen right… now," she informed him.

Derek paused for another moment, waiting for the sound that Meredith desperately wished would occur once more. A minute or two passed, though for Derek felt like hours, before he finally gave up.

"Since I don't hear anything, nor do I know what I am listening for, I am going back to bed… and I think you should too." Derek leaned forward, kissing the top of Meredith's head before rolling over, his body facing the wall as he readjusted.

Meredith grumbled to herself as she rolled over, facing his back as she stared at his faded blue shirt. She watched as his breathing went from unpaced to an evenly rhythmic in and out.

In and out.

In and out.

His breaths repeated at the same rate.

In an out.

The repeated repetition of his respiration proved to relax Meredith into a lull. Her breathing began to match his as her eyes slowly blurred until they closed. Although her body seemed at peace, there was still an inkling in her mind that remained on edge, that knew that whatever it was making the rattling sounds was still somewhere in their closet.

So when the rattling sounds continued again, Meredith nearly leaped out of bed. Though her olympic jump was made short by the entanglement of sheets around her legs, it did result in her dumping herself onto Derek.

Her body was nearly thrown from his by his startled demeanor. If it weren't for his arms circled around her waist, holding her to him, she would have been sitting on her butt on the floor.

"Meredith, what are you doing?" Derek whispered into the confines of her hair.

"I heard the rattling again…"

Meredith could feel Derek's sigh on her neck as he exhaled in exasperation.

"I still don't hea-"

His sentence was halted as the rattling and scratching repeated its previous pattern. Both of their breaths seemed at a standstill until the noises ceased.

"Did you?" Derek murmured.

"I did," Meredith replied.

The pair of them remained wrapped in the other as their eyes focused on the darkness surrounding them. They waited again, listening as the rattling pursued and fell into a silence.

"What do you think it is?" Meredith asked Derek, her eyes training on his face.

He shrugged his shoulders, muttering an "I don't know," with it.

"I think you should investigate," Meredith stated.

Derek shook his head, his tousled brown hair brushing against her face as he did so. Meredith scrunched up her face in return, wiggling her nose.

"I investigated the strange noise downstairs last time. It's your turn," he said in a soothing voice, kissing her scrunched up nose.

"Derek!" She said, whacking him on the chest. "You're supposed to protect me."

Derek huffed a sigh before he scooted farther towards the edge of the bed, dragging Meredith with him. "Fine, if I'm investigating then you're going to be my Watson."

Meredith let out a laugh, her body lurching into Derek as she heard the rattling sound once again.

"Let's go," he whispered, scooting her off his lap so that he could stand up. Derek pulled her with him, keeping her hand locked in his as he crept along the edge of their bed towards their closet.

Derek halted his tip-toeing, leaning down to grab the bat that was underneath their bed.

"You keep a bat under the bed?" Meredith questioned in confusion.

"It's for protection," he said nonchalantly.

"Most people keep guns not bats."

Derek turned around to face Meredith, staring at her. "Do you think a gun is really necessary?"

Meredith shrugged her shoulders, jumping backwards at the sound of the rattling.

"Here," Derek said, shoving the bat towards her.

"Why are you giving me the bat?!"

"Because, I'm going to throw the door open and you're going to hit whatever it is."

"Derek!" Meredith shouted in a whisper, hitting his arm. "I'm not hitting something with a bat!"

He pulled the bat away from her, beginning his tip-toeing forward once again. Derek slowly led Meredith to the closet, standing to the side of it before slowly padding in front of the doors.

"On the count of three," Derek informed her. "One… two… three!"

Derek let go of Meredith's hand before throwing the closet door open, lifting the bat high in the air, getting ready to swing at a moment's notice. A sudden ruckus sounded as whatever it was fled to the back of the closet, its glowing eyes staring back at Meredith and Derek.

Meredith squinted her eyes, peering into the darkness. Derek lifted the bat at a more comfortable angle, swinging his shoulders back in anticipation.

"Wait!"

Derek looked at Meredith, his voice at a loss for words.

"What are yo-" He began but quickly trailed off.

Meredith stepped into the closet, pulling the clothes out of her way and moving the objects that had been strung onto the floor out of the way. Derek could see her body squat down but as she bent over he lost the majority of her body in darkness.

"Meredith?" he called out. When he heard no response, he called out to her again.

His eyes remained squinted until he saw her body stand up, turning to face him, the glaring eyes that he had seen now held in her arms.

"Mer?" he asked in question.

Meredith continued to walk towards him until she held up a fluffy white cat, whose blue eyes shone even brighter as they reached him. His white fur was matted in some areas and obvious streaks of dirt covered the cats fur.

"I'm not really a cat person but look at him," she said, holding the cat up higher in the air towards him. It let out a small 'meow' as pawed at his shirt.

"Meredith, you hate cats," Derek stated blatantly.

"Yes, but I like this cat."

"It snuck into our house and scared you half to death…"

"Yes, but I was also called death at one point so I think it is a good fit."

Meredith pulled the cat back to her chest, giving its head a couple pats as she turned away from Derek and padded towards the door that led to the hallway.

Somewhere behind Derek called out, "Where are you going?"

"I'm getting the cat some warm milk or whatever they drink," she replied over her shoulder.

Meredith disappeared out of the room, leaving Derek standing in their room, wondering what he had done to deserve a foreign cat invading his closet.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Once again I had a totally different story planned for this chapter. The chapter that I've had written will, hopefully, be posted sometime next week. This chapter is definitely longer than the others which makes me very happy. As always, I am open to any prompt suggestions. I hope you all enjoy!

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**Song Prompt:** "Let's go have fun, you and me in the old jeep, ride around town with our rifles on the front seat."

* * *

**Ferry Boats and Facing Fears.**

Green eyes stared at the winding, road that led to their first destination, a place in which their owner knew little of. Meredith looked at Derek, watching as his eyes remained trained on the road before him. With his left hand on the wheel, his other hand rested on Meredith's thigh, her nimble surgical fingers interlaced with his single hand.

Her eyes fixated on the details of his face, his crooked nose, the half smile that his face was currently rested in and the small scar that was on his forehead. His tousled black hair showed hints of gray at his temples, where the undoubted stress of his job took an immediate effect.

Meredith unlatched one of her hands from its resting position and touched the edge of his graying hair with her fingertips. A soft smile filled her face as Derek turned his head, Meredith's hand moving to cup the side of his face. Derek's baby blues twinkled in the low light that was emitted from the setting of the sun.

Derek pulled Meredith's white jeep into the line of cars that was waiting to board the ferry. Despite having a series of other respectable cars, they seemed to frequent Meredith's old jeep on their date nights. Perhaps it was the lingering memories of their first few moments together. Or perhaps it was a reminder of the longevity of their relationship and the trials they both failed and successfully overcame.

With the car sitting in line, inching forward every few minutes, Derek took his eyes off road in front of him. They locked with Meredith's as he looked tenderly at her. His heart swelled with bullet holes of emotion as they punctured his heart in an agony so painfully sweet that he craved to be repeatedly shot.

Meredith smiled back at him, her hand dropping from its former place on his cheek to roll down to his deltoid. It briefly remained there before her hand trailed to his arm and forearm, where she slowly rubbed up and down. All the while, a tender look rested on her face.

"Where are we going for the night?" Meredith asked as she stared down at their intertwined hands.

"It's supposed to be a surprise," Derek replied, turning his head forward to watch the line of cars.

Meredith followed his eyes as she watched the cars in front of them load onto the ferry. They found their designated parking spots until it was their turn to follow suit. Derek pulled the jeep forward, following the lane until he pulled into a parking stall. He put the car into park and turned off the vehicle, pulling the key from the ignition. Derek nodded to the walkway that led to the upper deck of the ferry boat.

Meredith shook her head, her lips parting to say, "It's a little cold outside."

Derek hopped out of the jeep, walking around the car to open Meredith's door. He held out his hand for her, despite her previous answer. "It wasn't really a question."

Meredith let out a soft sigh before placing her delicate hand in his. She scooted out of the jeep, landing on the balls of her feet. Her body was clad in dark fitted jeans, a loose white top which was accented with a black collar, black sleeves and black buttons and a pair of black flats. She nuzzled into Derek's side, wrapping her arm around his waist. Luckily for her, he was wearing a long, fitted blue shirt with a black jacket and a pair of jeans.

As soon as they reached the upper deck, Meredith felt a chill run down her spine, a shiver coursing through her nerves as the setting of the sun left a chilled evening in its wake. Derek led them to the railing, where they could peer over the edge into the abysmal water and watch the slow setting of the sun.

Meredith placed her arms on the railing, leaning forward in anticipation. Derek withdrew his jacket from his own shoulders, placing it on Meredith's own body. He watched as she placed her arms inside, snuggling into the embrace of his jacket as she resumed the position she had once held.

Derek stepped forward, wrapping his arms protectively around her waist, letting his chin drop against her shoulder. He turned his head inwards, pressing his lips against her neck. He could feel her body react to his, slowly molding into the shape he created around her.

"Can you at least tell me what you have in store?" Meredith questioned again in a whisper.

Derek placed a soft kiss under her jaw followed by another closer to her earlobe. "Well, I was thinking we could go to dinner. And then we are going to a surprise destination."

Derek let his lips linger against a spot on her neck and he could feel the reverberations her voice made as she asked him another question.

"What exactly is this surprise?"

"A surprise," Derek said stubbornly

Meredith let out a soft scoff as she turned her head to hide access to her neck. It also sufficed in getting Derek to look at her, her own eyes furrowing in a tangent of confusion.

"Well, that was beyond helpful. Will I like this surprise?" Meredith pursued on.

"That sort of defeats the idea of a surprise," Derek stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

Meredith let out a huff of a sigh, pursing her lips together.

Derek gave her his best crooked smile, giving her a mock roll of his eyes as used his arms to give her waist a light squeeze.

"And after the surprise, we're going to go home and relieve the sitter," He mused, replacing his head on her shoulder once more. "We'll tuck Zola in and kiss Bailey goodnight. And then, we are going to spend the rest of the night together."

"Mmm," Meredith murmured, leaning back farther into his embrace. "I think you have planned a fine evening, Dr. Shepherd."

"Dr. Shepherd?" Derek said with a chuckle.

"Mmm, Dr. Shepherd, I seem to have a very sore back. You may have to massage it later." Meredith leaned her head back against his chest, her lips finding his ear. "I hear you have really good hands."

Derek tightened his arms in response, kissing her neck tenderly again. "I think that can be fit into the evening," Derek replied in a nonchalant voice.

As the two fell unto a comfortable silence, they kept their eyes trained forward as they watched the ferry boat cruise along the water. The sun was still peeking over the horizon, its fleeting beams of light casting a beautiful aura of colors against the water.

The ferry boat began to show signs of slowing down as it neared land. Derek gave Meredith one last kiss on her cheek before untangling his arms from her waist. "I'll get the jeep and meet you in the parking lot."

Meredith nodded her head, though she could have sworn he had already disappeared. Her mind swirled in thought as she tried to concoct what the night would entail. And when the ferry docked, she wasn't totally surprised that she had come up with nothing. Often times Derek enjoyed keeping her in the dark for it made her appreciate the lengths he went to to make her feel like she was the only one for him. It was an extraordinary feeling that she could not describe.

Meredith followed the line of people that formed to exit the ferry boat. She pulled Derek's jacket tighter around her lithe frame, snuggling into its warmth and letting the unique scent of his cologne and cinnamon swirl around her. She padded down the loading dock and stood on the curb, staring into the darkened lot, the flickering of lamp posts beginning to shine. As she saw the white jeep pull around she stepped off the curb, letting herself into the car and embracing the heat of the vehicle.

Derek pulled the jeep out of the parking lot and followed the road that led into town. The street lights zoomed by as he increased the speed, the jeep moving through the traffic at a steady pace. Meredith stared at the road before them, her eyes lacking focus until she felt the car stop. It was pulled in front of a small restaurant. It's name was in a language she couldn't understand, although it seemed to be fit for the evening.

Meredith remained seated in the jeep until Derek strode around to the side, opening her door and taking her hand to help her step out. The walked hand-in-hand into the quaint restaurant, the door dinging to show their entrance. The hostess had a bright smile on her face as she greeted them with a formal 'hello.'

Derek cleared his throat before speaking. "Reservation for Shepherd."

The lady clothed in black nodded, grabbing two menus in her hand and motioning for them to follow. She led them through the intimate setting of the restaurant. The tables were dressed in black cloth, vases filled with red roses in the center adorned with two lit candles on either side.

Meredith gave Derek's hand a squeeze, his head turning over his shoulder to look at her. "Is this alright?" He asked, a slight hint of worry filling his voice.

"Derek, this is… beautiful," she said.

The only response he gave her was a smile. The pair of them sat at a small booth in the back, their bodies leaning forward to talk quietly for the entirety of their meal. Derek's eyes twinkled at their conversation, Meredith's remained locked on his as they delved into the frequented whirlpool of color and chatter.

* * *

With the bill cast aside, a generous tip filling the book, Derek and Meredith left the restaurant. The walked closely together, Meredith leading him out of the intimate setting. As they exited Meredith began to make a move towards the jeep but as soon as her body turned in that direction, Derek grabbed her hand and pivoted her in the opposite.

"We are walking?" She questioned, though the tone in her voice suggested that it didn't bother her.

"The next stop is just a few shops down."

Enveloped in the now dark sky, Derek pursued forward, Meredith in tow. Occasionally they would stop at a shop, peering into the window to look at the displayed items. Meredith's eyes seemed to be enlightened at a shop that held handcrafted jewelry, despite her lack of rings or anything of the sort. Derek pulled on her arm, nodding his head to the door.

"Derek, I don't think I need anything. I don't even wear a ring," Meredith stated.

"I _know_ that... " He replied. "You'll just have to trust me."

Meredith squinted at him, trying to figure out exactly what it was that he was doing. "You're asking a lot from someone who has trust issues."

Derek tugged on her hand once more. "I understand that… but this is… special," He added.

Meredith finally allowed her stone cold resolve to crumble, placing her trust in someone who had, at times, given her reasons to doubt him. But at the same time, he had give her copious amounts to place her full fledged faith in him. As they entered the store, the white lights from above seemed to accentuate every piece of jewelry, their beauty sparkling in the intensified light.

Derek studied Meredith and he knew that the idea of anything such as this terrified her. She didn't like jewelry. She was dark and twisty and there was no changing that. However, he liked doom and gloom Meredith as opposed to the bright and shiny title she had once tried to sell to him. Derek let Meredith lead him around, her eyes scanning everything and lingering on the wedding rings longer than anything. Once she had finished touring everything and appeared ready to go, Derek tugged her hand once more, leading her to the counter where the worker stood.

"I'd like to view two pieces for Shepherd," he informed the man dressed in a suit.

The man nodded, disappearing into the back before walking out with two small black boxes. He placed them on the counter and Derek turned to gauge Meredith's reaction.

"Derek… I…" Meredith stumbled over her words and

Derek placed his hand on her waist. "I know how you feel about these things… But this is different," he said.

He took the first black box from the counter and opened it. Inside was a necklace with a few stamped pieces of silver jewelry. Three small circles adorned the silver chain. One of them was stamped with a 'd + m' with a small diamond heart in the upper corner. The second was stamped with a small 'z' and miniscule hand print. The last of the three was a small 'b' with a tiny foot print in the same corner that every decoration had been.

Derek carefully observed Meredith's cold face. "I know you don't like necklaces, or anything really, but I also had them make another piece. He grabbed the second box and opened it. Inside was a small pin. Meredith's face was still passive, though it didn't totally surprise him.

"The pin is for the pieces. You can take them off the chain and put them on the pin… That way when you have surgery all day long and through the night your family will still be with you…" Derek's eyes dropped to the jewelry that was on the counter, feeling as if had been defeated by Meredith's lack of emotion.

"Derek, these are to-" Meredith began to speak but Derek cut her off in a rush.

"If you really don't like them you don't have to wear them. I just thought it would be something nice-"

Meredith interrupted Derek by placing her lips on his. She moved both her hands to cup his face, pulling him closer to her. Their kiss was brief but effective.

"One for each of us..." she murmured quietly, more to herself than to him.. Her nimble fingers reached down to touch the pieces that were lying on the counter. She ran her index finger over each one, her eyes studying them. As she turned back to Derek, her face changed from passive to tender. "I love them."

The light in Derek's eyes was nearly tangible as a wide smile spread across his face. He enveloped her in a hug, kissing her cheek. "Do you mind if I…?" He asked, testing the waters.

Meredith nodded her head, moving her hair to the side. Derek picked up the necklace, placing it on her neck and clasping it in the back. He put his hands on either side of her arms and spun her towards him. He stared at the necklace, placed so lovingly against her shirt.

Meredith could only reciprocate his smile. All other words seemed to be lost, escaping the formation on her mouth.

* * *

Derek and Meredith were sitting in the car once more, as they made their way back to their house. Meredith stared blankly ahead, her eyes focusing on nothing in particular. Her nimble fingers played with the necklace that was resting around her neck. She touched the cool metal of the circles, tracing her fingers around the edges of the jewelry.

Derek would occasionally look at her, a beaming smile filling his face. Their drive passed quickly and uneventfully as they made their trek home. Derek pulled into the driveway, pulling the jeep into the extra allotted space in the garage. They both got out in silence, Derek following Meredith inside. They crept into the dark kitchen, their eyes scanning the living room for the sitter and Zola who would most likely be up.

Sitting in the corner of the room, they saw Zola dressed in her favorite princess outfit: a pink dress with a silver crown. Zola stood up, pouring the sitter more tea, which poured out of the teapot in an invisible stream. The sitter thanked Zola generously, taking a sip right away. She acted as if the tea had been too hot, fanning her mouth and letting out a small cry. A peal of laughter sounded from Zola as she poured herself an imaginary cup, using her hand to act as if she was fanning it.

Meredith and Derek walked into their living room together, smiling at the pair of them sitting at Zola's play table.

"Hi Zozo," Meredith said, reaching her hands out to await Zola's body. Zola threw herself into Meredith's arms, kissing her cheek as soon as she was eye-level with Meredith. Derek kissed Zola's hair before walking with the sitter to the door. He took his wallet from his back pocket, handing her several bills. "Thank you, Kate!" he called out as she walked outside.

Derek padded back to Meredith and Zola, wrapping one arm Meredith's waist and placing his hand on Zola's back.

"Are you ready to go night night, Zo?" Derek asked the toddler.

In response Zola laid her head on Meredith's chest, closing her eyes and rubbing them with a small fist. "I tired," she said quietly.

"Okay," replied Derek. "Let's tuck you in."

Meredith carried Zola up the stairs, Derek following closely behind her. They entered Zola's room and Meredith laid her down in her pink flowered daybed. Zola pulled the comforter up to her chest, grabbing her small husky and cuddling into the bed. She closed her eyes immediately and both Meredith and Derek leaned down to give her a kiss. On their way out, Derek turned on her lava lamp night light and pulled the door with him, leaving just a crack of the door ajar.

On the way to their room they stopped by Bailey's room, sneaking in to peer at him in his crib. Derek placed a kiss on Meredith's cheek as they stood watching him. They snuck out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind and padding to their room. The entered their room quietly, shutting the door firmly behind them.

In a show of exaggeration, Meredith rubbed her neck, craning her head forward and letting out a sigh. Derek stepped behind her, placing his hands on her hips. Meredith's body reacted in every way to his, his touches leaving trails of ice against her skin.

Derek placed his lips near her ear, kissing the lobe of her ear before whispering, "Happy Birthday, Mer."

Meredith let out a sigh in return, leaning farther into him. "I love you. Thank you for tonight... for all of it."

"Mmm. It was my pleasure. And I love you too." Derek's words were followed by a squeeze of his hands against her hips.

"Oh, Dr. Shepherd, I've been waiting all day for you to… examine me."

Derek pulled her hips closer to him, one hand roving up to move her hair from her neck. He leaned his lips down, kissing the base of her neck.

"I think your... little problem might need a consult," Derek whispered into her ear. He spun her around in his arms, capturing her lips with his. He slowly stepped forward, making her step backwards. He continued the chase until he felt her body bump against their bed. In a habitual manner, Meredith let her body fall against the bed, Derek's lips immediately finding her neck, planting kisses and an occasional bite all over her neck.

With a giggle, Meredith let out one more, "Oh, Dr Shepherd," before they filled the silences with laughter and their bodies tangled into a blissful blur.


End file.
